ggobkk

This topic has been interesting and helpful. Must admit to being naive and not thinking about #2 as a possibility. My flights home are always early, so it's the night clerk that checks the room (Raya).

Perhaps, tipping in Thailand is related to one's tipping habits when at home. I, for one, stay in the same grove as at home when I'm in Thailand. I do check the print, if the room's not too dark, to see if service is included. At home service is rarely included. Agree on the hotel maid's tip. A friend told me years back to leave the hotel maid tip each day, it not only perks up service but also makes sure (since shifts change) that the person who cleans the room gets the tip.

Need to add this to the section on info for newbies

Sometimes, I'm too tired to go out. So, I tell myself, that's what naps are for. I take one. Then I go out.

At the airport, once through immigration, there are both ATMs and currency exchanges - at all hours. Rate there is better than at home (USA for me). As paulsf mentions ATMs are everywhere in Bangkok. If you search this site, there are some threads on what banks have best rate, same for currency exchanges.

You write an informative report in a style that is both charming and appealing. Thanks

The XE.com app is my go to app for currency conversion.

I stay at the Raya. My plane from the US always arrives between 11pm and midnight. I take a taxi an am at the hotel in thirty minutes. The Raya doesn't arrange airport pickups (I asked on my first time at the hotel). So advice is: taxi. Can't advise on return to airport. My flight leaves at 6:30am. I leave the hotel at 3am...at that hour there is almost no traffic.

Agree with z909 and would add that the smartphone app Google Translate can be a help

Yes, I travel with a similar philosophy..."it's part of the adventure". I'm enjoying your reports very much and your belief that reporting is payback to the Forum and what's been posted before. I learned much (and am still learning) from reading posts and report when I return from my trips. Keep "adventuring".

Great report...especially liked this description "the rest were loitering around the back sofa like seals sunbathing on the rock lol." Waiting for next chapter

From the USofA, fares go up, way up in December through New Year's and then drop back to the $600-700 range. It's only $50 more for me to fly to BKK from San Francisco than to travel to Washington DC in January. Given the weather in DC vs. Thailand (not to mention the government), looks like beach weather will win out.

Last year, I traveled with a boy from Hot Male to Pattaya for two nights/three days. It was the right amount of time. As mentioned by Vinapu we agreed to leave some time each day as personal time. One night we went to the bars in Jomtien. He saw that i was interested in one of the boys at @Home. He clarified to the boy that I could be available, let me know that he was o.k. with staying out a for a few hours while I indulged myself, which I did.

While BKK is at the top of my annual list, circumstances can cause rankings to be meaningless. I was in the UK in May, met a young man from Italy, and London became #1 (at least for a weekend).

United is moving to using 787s for its transpacific routes and codes shares with ANA for Bangkok. ANA has put a 787 on its Tokyo to BKK route (replacing a 777). EVA from Taiwan is offering a one stop to BKK from the US. There are still rumors (as there were a year ago) that Thai Airways will be returning to the US assuming it passes its safety review. It's nice to have some choices but the planes still average 550 mph and a long haul is a loooooonnnnnnggg haul.

Thanks, Vinapu, for generating this thread from its bolt hole in a Cupidol thread. When I decided to return to Bangkok after a two decade absence, I attempted to catch up and be "current". This site and bangkokbois were incredibly helpful and allowed me to act comfortable in all sorts of places even if I wasn't. While Bangkokbois hasn't been updated since the demise of its blogmeister, it can still be found on the web https://bangkokbois.sawatdeenetwork.com/ and is worth a look...especially for dealing with mamasans, if nothing else. It was where I learned the term "butterfly". Some of my "educational" successes and failures have been reported in my trip reports and I voiced my frustration at the boys who sit with me without being asked and, consequently, are not tipped. On the other hand, I'm joined now and then by previous offs - who I might off again and whom will get a 100 baht tip when I leave. I go to some clubs on a semi regular basis, Hot Male, Hot Male 2, and Screwboys. When, some years back, I was beginning to learn about what to do in those kind of places I read a post by a "Vinapu" who mentioned that he always tipped the cutest/handsomest/sexiest boy in the house. I do this and find that my welcome back is always hearty.

Dosage note: I have a prescription for sideagra from my US doctor. But the dosage is only one fifth of kamagra's over theconter form. prefer the kamagra in the pill form, haven't tried the gel.

What are "Rights"? San Francisco gets a 4...the top three cities get a 5. Just wondering? Maybe the Bay Area needs to start a new advocacy fight.

A year ago, I stayed at BB House in a double room on the 2nd floor overlooking the beach (the overhead wires block some of the view). Pleasant stay. Convenient to the Sandbar restaurant. When I was there a year ago, the pool area was being renovated which was a disappointment. Checked it out last month, pool open and the rooms in that area while having no view and quite nice. Not sure what the beach area is like now as the "improvement" project was just beginning...

As with life, it depends on circumstances. This past spring in Fresh Boys, boys I didn't ask to come by would sit down and ask for me to buy them a drink. I said no, ignored them, left no tip. In Hot Male, a previous off sat down next to me as soon as I came into the room and was seated. I like him and told him I'd buy him a drink OR give him a tip. He indicated the tip would be preferred. I've followed Vinapu's advice and kept my tip money in a separate pocket. (I also adopted his habit of now and then tipping the cutest boy on my way out, which once encouraged one "tipee" to give me a very god time on my next visit to his cub). Don't know if this is liturgical or customary...just happens in the moment.

Article from the South China Morning Post http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2095807/eat-play-love-why-chinas-gays-see-thailand-land-smiles-and-second

I thought in US that Labor Day was the end of the white season not the beginning.

Your Pattsys reports are making me rethink the location balancing for my next visit. You are demonstrating a level of Jomtien know how that is close to Paulsf's backgrounds on Twilight.

Agree with samebb - Agate is a top choice. It takes some tour groups, I mention that as groups can be a drawback. I also recommend the Poseidon, slightly pricer than Agate, but incredibly helpful staff. Poseidon's restaurant is a headliner for international cuisine.

Unlike DIsneyland the wait time for a ride is minimal.